HIV negative, anxiety and stress cause symptoms

[sampiper49]

Hi everyone, I wanted to post this in order to maybe help a few worried people. Like everybody I was exposed to a low risk HIV scare. In November I had unprotected vaginal and oral sex with a 24 year old student from new york, we were both very drunk and it seemed like a great idea at the time. I returned to the UK and went to see my doctor who tested me for all STD's, which came back clear. I then started to worry about contracting HIV, I started to look at the internet and before I knew it I had every symptom under the sun, headaches, swollen lymph glands, joint and muscle pain, night sweats. I knew I had HIV, or so I thought. I went back to my doctor who tried to tell me that it was highly unlikely that I had HIV and that I just needed to be patient. I have never felt so ill over those passing weeks, as far as I was concerned that was it, my life was over!

At 10.20am today I had a phone call from the health clinic telling me that I was HIV negative!!! there is know way that I have the HIV virus. Unlike many who post on this forum I believe that my test results are conclusive, these are trained professionals who know their facts.

What I am trying to get across is that the mind is a amazing machine at times, stress and anxiety are a very powerful thing, I really do sympathise with people that are going through what I have. A couple of things that I have learn't over the past few weeks that may help.

1) If you poke and prod your lymph nodes you will **** them off and they will become imflamed and before you know it you think they are swollen.
2) HIV is a very fragile virus, in certain circumstances it is difficult to contract.
3) Listen to your doctors and people that run these forums, they know what they are on about.
4) Don't be an idiot like me, use a condom!!! If you have had a lucky escape, this time, learn from it and don't do it again.

I would just like to say that you guys that run these forums do a great job, I have read alot of the posts and sympathise that this must get frustrating a times. I can reassure you that what you do really does help, I have read your advice over the last few weeks and it has helped calm me down. Good luck to everybody x

[SuicidalDMike]

Im goin thru that but my case i think i will b positive at the end its been 3 and a half months funny enough i had a dream which i was being given my tesults at 4 months sayin im ve +

[healthfreak22]

Wow.  This is very helpful.  I recently had sex with sex worker and she told me that she was using a female condom (which felt like natural sex).  About a week later (now), I have been experiencing joint pain, pain in my neck and outer groin area (which I assume to be lymph nodes), fatigue in the afternoon, and night sweats.  I have yet to have a fever or any sign of a rash.  I have been feeling some deep anxiety since I won't be able to get tested for a bit.  I hope that my symptoms are due to stress and anxiety.

However, I will find out for sure soon enough.

[Thambiriyo]

I had sex one year before now i got skin allergic after allergic i was stressed too much now i have joint pain, swollen knee, headache muscle pain. Plz someone give reply

[Thambiriyo]

I had sex one year before now i got skin allergic after allergic i was stressed too much now i have joint pain, swollen knee, headache muscle pain

[NR555]

@ sampiper49 thanks for posting gives me some hope

[ricky_id]

Let's get back to your case, this is separate one and you'd better not post here unless you want to offer solution, here: http://www.medhelp.org/posts/HIV-Prevention/Risk-for-HIV/show/1455228

[healthfreak22]

Does this sound like what you have?  I'm extremely worried to be honest and have been depressed and extremely stressed.  Already reading about living with HIV information.  Of course, I cannot find out for a few weeks at least so it's just been absolutely killing me.

She said she was using a female condom and dunno why she would lie to me (or if it would break).  I have never slept with anyone except a monogamous girlfriend in college without a condom.  It's honestly killing me inside and I don't know if stress is causing these symptoms or some other illness.  I just assume the pain is lymph nodes.  I've been constantly reading these forums and other articles about hiv symptoms.

NR555 - Tell me how your tests go.

[healthfreak22]

Don't know what you mean?

No I'm not trying to change my story.  I had an HIV scare that I posted earlier, but that was a few months ago.  My sexual relations with an Asian sex worker occurred  12 days ago.  Since she did not put a condom on me, I was extremely shocked and asked her if I could put a condom on.  She then quickly told me she was using a female condom.  I believed her and it felt rather natural.

A week later, I felt some intermittent sharp pain in the outer right groin area (and recently intermittent sharp pain in my right throat) as well as fatigue for most of the day for a few days now (and had one short episode of night sweats).  I have been extremely stressed out (to the point of depression) and have history of anxiety. I was pretty sure I had HIV and still somewhat feel that way (though I feel a little better about it after reading this post)  I plan to get tested when I can (in 3 weeks or so) to make sure and would consider a negative test to be a new chance at life.  

[NR555]

Wait sounds like what I have.teak changing story?

[Teak]

You don't believe in changing your story now do you?